A SLIGO MAN - WHO WAS JAILED FOR THE MANSLAUGHTER OF A SCHOOLGIRL - HAS HAD HIS LIFE SENTENCE UPHELD ON APPEAL.

RONALD McMANUS - ALSO KNOWN AS RONNIE DUNBAR – WAS FOUND GUILTY OF KILLING 14-YEAR-OLD MELISSA MAHON AT HIS HOME IN RATHBRAUGHAN PARK IN SEPTEMBER 2006.

HER BODY WAS FOUND IN LOUGH GILL 18 MONTHS LATER.

McMANUS WAS CLEARED OF MELISSA’S MURDER IN 2009, BUT THE JURY CONVICTED HIM OF MANSLAUGHTER, AND THE MAXIMUM

 LIFE PENALTY WAS IMPOSED.

ON APPEAL, HIS LEGAL TEAM HAD ARGUED THAT THE LIFE TERM WAS "GROSSLY DISPROPORTIONATE TO HIS CONVICTION", HOWEVER THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEAL HAS RULED THAT THE JUDGE WAS ENTITLED TO IMPOSE THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE, HAVING FOUND IT WAS A RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL CASE - WITH NO MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES.